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Ilajide Blends the Sounds of the 70s & Present Day on “Pocket Jams 2” (Album Review)

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Here we have the 6th studio LP from Detroit, Michigan emcee/producer Ilajide. Formerly of the Clear Soul Forces, he’s put out a couple beat tapes along with 5 full-length albums & 7 EPs under his belt. It’s been over 3 years since I covered Code 200 & that was the finest solo LP of his entire career, linking up with Seattle producer Def Dee for his best EP Tape Delay last summer. Continuing the 4/20 tradition of releasing music, Pocket Jams 2 is finally here after being announced on New Year’s Day.

“Pimp Talk” sets the tone with this funky self-produced instrumental telling us what it’s like to be a playa in his shoes whereas the aptly-named “Issa Nice Day” keeps bringing the funk for a summertime anthem only 2 months ahead of time. “Stop Talkin’” works in some crooning vocals & synthesizers for a retro, carefree club banger prior to “Impress Me” groovily talking about women having to wow him to get his attention.

Moving on from there, “Backhand” goes for a bit of a psychedelic flare telling his girl to shake somethin’ for him while “Don’t Talk to Me” woozily talks about bossing up & feeling wavy as a result. “Don’t Play” keeps the dance vibes going cautioning everyone not to fuck with him just before the funky “Party in Her Pants” talks about themes of lust.

“Make Me Loose” begins the final leg of Pocket Jams 2 for a playful ode to loosening himself up off the alcohol while “Slide” comes through with another funky dance number encouraging all the party people on the place to move their bodies. “Stallion” featuring & produced by Radio Galaxy finishes the Pocket Jams sequel paying homage to Parliament-Funkadelic as far as influence goes.

Representing a deeper dive into Ilajide’s artistic identity, Pocket Jams 2 fuses hip hop & funk music together blending the vibe of the 70s with the sound of 2025. Think of it as a UFO Time Machine from the 70s crash-landing in the future. The main goal he had in mind during the studio sessions is to make people move while staying true to himself, the journey he’s been on, growth & lastly self reflection.

Score: 8/10

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